Are Latinos being too cautious about criticizing President Obama?

At the risk of sounding judgmental of 44 just 44 days into his tenure and of national Latino leaders often too diplomatic for their own good, here are two observations:

The president hasn’t named enough Latinos to his Cabinet and deserves criticism for it, and Latino leaders have been too reserved in not calling attention to the issue.

Even a recent Hispanic Business magazine headline about the Obama administration’s Cabinet nominations was optimistic and inaccurate.

“Obama sets a record with his appointments of Hispanics to Cabinet.”

That’s so not true.

In applying lipstick to that pig, the story doesn’t come close to meeting the headline’s promise. President Obama has named two Latinos to his Cabinet. Two. Just two. There’s Ken Salazar at Interior and Hilda Solis at Labor, and they are leading (let’s face it) less powerful departments.

As positively as the new president is polling — probably higher among people of color — both President Clinton and President Bush held similar Latino cabinetry records.

Obama has named highly qualified Latinos to second-tier posts, including Cecelia Munoz, director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Louis Caldera, head of the White House Military Office.

Though his Cabinet is impressive in his depth and diversity, Latino leaders met with Obama last year and stressed “parity with the population” on his Cabinet, the Hispanic Business magazine story says. Latinos make up at least 15 percent of the U.S. population.

One online commentator nailed it in saying, “I am completely dismayed by the lack of effort on the part of the Obama administration to give the fastest-growing segment of the American population a proper and proportionate seat at the governing table.”

Another said, “I do not see any reason for Hispanics to be satisfied or even proud of the token appointments.”

This isn’t the first time Latino leaders are accused of being too reserved. But I don’t think that’s necessarily in play now. Latino unwillingness to criticize President Obama, even for his lack of Latino representation on his Cabinet, may be a little about being relieved that President Obama is in office.

President Bush may have appointed more Hispanics throughout his administration, but what good did that do when an Alberto Gonzales was allowed to poke holes in the Constitution as Bush’s attorney general?

It’s also early in the Obama administration. There’s lots of time to complain, to criticize and hold feet to fire. There’s far more time for the president to bring more Latinos on board.

Perhaps Latino activists, like Latinos in general and Americans in general, just have more confidence that this president, who has so much on his plate, will come through on his promises. They have more confidence in this president. Perhaps activists don’t want to criticize too early. Afterall, they helped elect a chief executive who’s committed to ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, who’s reaching out to Republicans even when they don’t reach back, who’s actively seeking ways to reverse the economic crisis left by the Bush administration and who’s still a man of hope.